Lenticular images can be generally realized in one of three ways: 1) by using traditional methods of printing or photography on some kind of image carrier (paper, polymer sheet, etc.), followed by alignment and attachment of a Lenticular sheet to the image; or 2) by direct printing of an interlaced image on the back side of Lenticular lenses; or 3) by direct exposure of photosensitive material laminated on the Lenticular sheet. The present invention is related to the third method.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the prior art process of producing a Lenticular image by direct exposure: Lenticular sheet 110 with laminated photosensitive material 111 is loaded onto an imaging engine (in this example a flatbed scanner) with the photosensitive material 111 facing the imaging lens 120. The curved surface Lenticular lenses 112 are oriented toward the Z-axis, opposite to the lens 120. The lens 120 is stigmatic, i.e. having the same focal position in both directions X and Y and coinciding with the surface of the photosensitive material 111.
An important step in producing a high-quality Lenticular image is the proper alignment of the image slices 113 relative to the lens 112. This is a difficult and time-consuming process, which is the subject of many patents, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,424,553, 5,959,718 and 6,486,937 to Morton.